A trans-identified male in Canada is facing charges of murder after the slaughter and mutilation of a man that left a crime scene so grisly neighbors called it “the house from hell.”
Gabriella Sears, born Dereck Donald Sears, has been in custody since his arrest in 2021. Sears was charged with second degree murder and interference with human remains in the death of Darren Middleton, 49, whose body was found at a home on Sycamore Road in Kelowna, British Columbia.
According to Crown prosecutors, Middleton’s corpse was “beaten and mutilated,” with his penis and testicles being partially or fully removed. Middleton’s partially clothed body was found lying next to a bathtub with the water running, and four weapons were found at the scene, including a retractable utility knife and a baseball bat.
Middleton had died of blunt force trauma to the head, but had stab wounds and defensive injuries. Many of his wounds were inflicted post-mortem. Many of the details surrounding the killing had remained unreleased since 2021 and are being heard for the first time during court testimony which began on Monday, October 16.
Sears and Middleton were known to each other, with the victim’s common-law wife, Brenda Adams, revealing to the court that Sears had been employed to do odd-jobs for Middleton on occasion. Just days before the murder, Sears, who was seen with a full beard in his booking photo, reportedly stated he had begun to identify as a woman named “Gabby.”
Middleton’s partner was the first to discover his mutilated body in a bath tub at Sears’ residence. Middleton had not returned home from work by 9 pm on the evening of June 16, 2021. After several phone calls and attempts to locate him, Adams then decided to visit Sears’ house. She arrived at 1 am and followed the sound of running water to the bathroom, where she found Middleton slain.
Adams noted that the gash in his throat was so deep she could “see right inside.” She also stated that he was not wearing his own clothes, but had been dressed in someone else’s clothing.
She testified that she saw her partner’s penis, cut in half, lying on his abdomen, that a blade could be seen near his crotch, and that she knew right away that he was deceased.
The woman ran from the house, screaming, and called her daughter in shock. As she fled, she told the court that she saw Sears in the middle of the road, dancing with his eyes closed and his arms in the air, as though he was listening to music. Police were alerted and arrived to the scene shortly after.
In 2021, Sears was charged under his given name of Dereck. Local news reports indicate that he adopted the name “Gabriella” after his arrest.
According to submissions made by Crown prosecutor David Grabavac in September, Sears had confessed to the brutal murder, accusing Middleton of sexually assaulting him and claiming the murder was in retaliation to the assault.
However, two separate confessions made by Sears have recently been ruled inadmissible after Sears’ lawyer argued that these incriminating statements were “spontaneous submissions” made before he had legal representation.
The defense also asserted that a strip search and swabbing conducted upon Sears following his arrest was traumatic and insensitive in light of his claim that he had been sexually abused by the victim.
Coverage of the crime has changed dramatically over the years, with initial reports referring to Sears as male and more recent articles describing him as a “woman” and using feminine pronouns for him.
The trial is expected to continue this week, with police and the victim’s common-law wife taking the stand once again.